Techbest – Top Tech Reviews In Australia
The best in Australian gadgets and technology
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Transurban is poised to elevate its AI customer service chatbot, Lex, which was first introduced in August of last year on the Linkt app and website. Leveraging Anthropic’s Claude large language model, this cutting-edge chatbot is built to manage customer inquiries around the clock by consulting the ‘help’ resources on the app and site.
A vital element of Lex’s functioning is Amazon Bedrock, which offers crucial guidelines that dictate when the chatbot should refer a matter to a human representative. This aspect is crucial for delicate matters such as financial struggles or domestic violence, ensuring customers obtain the necessary support.
One of Lex’s notable advantages is its capacity to connect customers to live agents more effectively than conventional menu-driven systems. By identifying when a query necessitates human intervention, Lex minimizes the time customers spend navigating intricate menus, thereby improving the overall customer experience.
Transurban is concentrating on forthcoming versions of Lex that will integrate contextual details regarding customers. This encompasses information such as account balance, account status, and product type, facilitating more personalized interactions and recommendations.
The primary ambition is for Lex to transform into an agentic AI, proficient in proactive customer service. This would entail recognizing potential problems with a customer’s account and reaching out with solutions, like suggesting more suitable products or verifying eligibility for offers based on travel behaviors.
Despite the substantial potential benefits, Transurban recognizes the hurdles of proactive AI engagement. Ensuring that customers feel at ease with AI-initiated communication and upholding transparency regarding the nature of these interactions are essential factors.
Transurban is ready to augment its AI chatbot, Lex, by embedding contextual customer information for more customized and proactive assistance. By strategically employing Amazon Bedrock and pursuing advancements in agentic AI, the company seeks to simplify customer service while addressing the intricacies of AI-driven communication.
Lex presently responds to customer inquiries 24/7 by utilizing the help resources available on the Linkt app and website, and it can effectively guide customers to human agents when necessary.
Amazon Bedrock offers a solid framework that establishes guidelines, ensuring the chatbot can recognize when to escalate situations to human agents, particularly concerning sensitive issues.
The immediate objective is to incorporate contextual customer information into Lex, enabling it to provide more personalized and precise responses.
Agentic AI pertains to AI systems that can provide proactive service. For Lex, this signifies the capability to detect potential issues and proactively engage with customers to offer solutions, thereby enhancing the overall customer experience.
Challenges include ensuring customer comfort with AI-driven outreach and maintaining clarity regarding the nature of these interactions.
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Tesla has officially launched its eagerly anticipated Robotaxi service, beginning its rollout in Austin, Texas. Invitations emailing select Tesla community members for Early Access have been sent, signifying a major advancement in the realm of autonomous vehicle technology.
Involvement in the Robotaxi service is presently restricted to those invited, who are required to download a specific Robotaxi App to schedule rides. This selective environment allows Tesla to enhance the user experience throughout this critical stage.
Rides are accessible within a defined geofenced area of Austin, excluding airports. Riders can access a comprehensive map of the service region through the app.
The Robotaxis will function every day from 6:00 AM to midnight. Nevertheless, service hours might change due to weather factors.
To guarantee a seamless experience, a Tesla representative will be present with passengers during the early access period, illustrating Tesla’s careful methodology.
Notably, Tesla has created an independent Robotaxi App for ride requests, instead of enhancing the current Tesla App. This may be temporary, akin to the presence of safety riders.
Before their inaugural ride, users must consent to several documents, including the Terms of Service, Rider Guidelines, a Robotaxi Rider Privacy Notice, and a Service Animal Policy. A valid payment method is also necessary.
Riders are invited to provide star ratings and constructive feedback following each trip, which will assist Tesla in enhancing the service for broader public use.
Tesla motivates participants to document and share their experiences, showcasing confidence in the system and a wish to create public interest.
While the initial rollout timeline hinted at the introduction of paid Robotaxi rides, the invitations do not clarify pricing. However, the fine print suggests the potential for revenue generation starting this month.
By launching its Robotaxi service in Austin, Tesla is making a substantial move toward a future without drivers. Early Access participants will play a key role in shaping the service’s evolution, offering critical feedback and stimulating public interest through shared stories. The results of this limited launch will be vital in deciding when this technology may extend to Australia.
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Maile Carnegie, a key player at ANZ Banking Group, is set to leave her position next month to explore non-executive career paths. As the group executive for Australia retail, she significantly influenced the direction of digital advancements. Her journey at ANZ began in 2016, following her tenure as managing director at Google ANZ.
Carnegie assumed responsibility for ANZ’s comprehensive transformation in 2019. This role included overseeing the bank’s digital strategies alongside her other duties. Her efforts in areas such as payments, marketing, and digitization were highlighted by ANZ’s CEO, Nuno Matos, who praised her contributions to the bank’s retail sector in Australia.
As Carnegie prepares to depart, Bruce Rush, the CEO of Suncorp Bank, has been appointed as the acting group executive for Australia retail and Suncorp Bank. ANZ is on a global hunt for Carnegie’s permanent replacement, emphasizing the significance of this role in the bank’s ongoing strategy.
Maile Carnegie’s exit signifies an important change for ANZ Banking Group. Her guidance in digital transformation has created a lasting legacy within the bank’s framework. With Bruce Rush stepping in as interim leader, ANZ is entering a new phase while searching for Carnegie’s successor.
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We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission which is paid directly to our Australia-based writers, editors, and support staff. Thank you for your support!
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The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) has entered into a significant $70 million contract with Amazon Web Services (AWS), marking a notable achievement in Australia’s cloud service arena. This agreement is part of a larger, renegotiated government-wide deal with AWS, now worth approximately $364 million.
This new deal significantly surpasses the $6.3 million total value of ASD’s previous 13 contracts with AWS, reaching back to 2017. AWS is entrusted with the creation of a Top Secret (TS) Cloud, specifically tailored for ASD’s applications in national security. The initiative is projected to incur a minimum cost of $2 billion over the next decade, with the goal of substantially enhancing Australia’s cyber defence capabilities.
The three-year agreement was facilitated via the Digital Transformation Agency’s renewed whole-of-government contract with AWS for public cloud services, which was originally established in 2019. The initial contract valued at $39 million, grew to $390.8 million over three years. The government renewed this contract in 2022 for an additional three years at $174.1 million, reflecting the increasing dependence on AWS’s cloud infrastructure.
An examination of contracts released on AusTender shows that since the latest renewal became effective on April 1, 2025, federal agencies have entered into agreements totaling $364 million in just over two months. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) leads with a $147 million contract, followed by the Digital Transformation Agency at $64.7 million, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission at $23 million, the Australian Bureau of Statistics at $19.2 million, and the Department of Home Affairs at $14 million. Furthermore, the Department of Health and Aged Care allotted AWS a $22.9 million contract under a separate agreement.
The ASD’s $70 million contract with AWS signifies a crucial turning point in Australia’s digital overhaul and cyber defence strategy. As AWS continues to grow its data centre operations in Sydney and Melbourne, the collaboration is set to strengthen the country’s security framework through innovative cloud solutions. The significant investments from various federal bodies further highlight the government’s dedication to integrating cloud technology for enhanced operational effectiveness and security.
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Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro, White
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South32, a leading mining and metals company located in Western Australia, is embracing artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen forecasts concerning safety, performance, and cultural aspects of its workforce. With personnel located globally in cities such as Perth, Singapore, London, and Vancouver, as well as in more remote regions, the company is actively transforming its employee engagement strategies.
In 2021, South32 restructured its employee engagement and evaluation systems. Previously dependent on traditional methods such as standard surveys, the pandemic underscored the demand for more immediate insights. This transition seeks to harness AI for improved predictive analytics, providing a deeper understanding across the employee lifecycle.
At the Qualtrics X4 conference in Sydney, Dave Vile, South32’s head of culture and capability, emphasized the power of AI to uncover hidden insights. “Everyone’s addressing AI … what can it reveal that is unknown to us?” he remarked. The aim is to identify leading indicators that can forecast future results.
Lincoln Cox, general manager for HR strategy performance and culture, reaffirmed South32’s dedication to evolving into a high-performance, values-driven organization. “We assess numerous aspects. We implement several filters. The subsequent step is to determine what genuinely influences change,” Cox mentioned.
South32 is pioneering the integration of AI within its employee management strategies, aiming to extract actionable insights that can improve safety, performance, and cultural coherence. By transforming its engagement platforms, the organization is set to utilize predictive analytics for optimized workforce management.
